Internally tilting dumping mine car



Oct. 1, 1968 J. s. ANDREWS 3,403,636

INTERNALLY TILTING DUMPING MINE CAR Filed Jan. 5, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FIG. 3 JAMES S. ANDREWS A TTORNE Y Oct. 1, 1968 Filed Jan. 5, 1967 J. s. ANDREWS 3,403,636

INTERNALLY TILTING DUMPING MINE CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 CENTERLINE OF TRACK INVENTOR. J14 MES 5. ANDREWS ATTORNEY United States ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mine car is a split hopper, bottom dump car arranged for use with a camelback dumping station. The car has a peripheral, boxed-in frame, utilizing the opening within the frame for dumping the load carried by the car. The frame is shielded so that the load dumped from the hopper is directed through the opening in the frame and prevents material from hanging up on the car frame, car wheels, the tracks, etc. The halves of the split hopper of the mine car are hinged together at their inner tops and open longitudinally of the car, to produce a hopper having a positive, gravity actuated closing and locking action in either a loaded or unloaded condition. The hopper halves open sequentially on a camelback, reducing amount of load lifted and reducing engine effort for opening the bottom dump car body. The car is provided with a removable lip which can be applied to either end of the car to produce a train of cars for continuous loading, regardless of direction of motion of the train of cars.

This invention relates to mine cars, and more particularly it relates to a split hopper, bottom dump, ore car of high volumetric efficiency, provided with means for automatic dumping of the load carried by such car.

Various types of bottom dump mine cars are known in the art and some have been fairly extensively used. Most mine cars 'with a bottom dump gate have been used with essentially non-abrasive and small size material such as coal, potash, salt, etc. Such cars have not been successfully used with hard rock or very abrasive materials and materials which are normally mined in large sizes. Further, commercially available mine cars, and many prior art types, require mechanical latch means, and being mechanical, are subject to failure, which could and have caused train wrecks in mines. Among the types generally found in the prior art are (l) the bottom gate durnp car, (2) the drop-away bottom dump car and (3) the longitudinally split body or clamshell type bottom dump mine car. In the first type, a bottom door is mounted generally centrally of the car with a lock at the open end to keep the door closed and a release at the opposite end to open the door. At the point of dump, the gate is opened to permit the door to drop down and the load to fall through the small openings. This obviously has a disadvantage in that the load cannot consist of rocks or lumps larger than the opening, since they would not discharge, and head room is required below the tracks to accommodate the gate. Furthermore, wet or sticky muck will not properly discharge from. the car. In addition, a positive lock must be provided for the gate to insure closure and securing of the door during transit of the empty cars as well as loaded cars. In (2) the breakaway bottom requires an apparatus for holding the car body level while the bottom is pivoted downwardly away from the car body to dump into a chute therebelow which must provide a great deal of head room for the car bottom, leaving considerable waste space. With this type of dump the load, as soon as the bottom starts falling away, is free to flow sideways of the car as well as longitudinally, getting on the wheels, axles, bearings and the like. Further, the car bottom and wheels are quite heavy, requiring heavy construction to support the weight while dumping. Addiatent tionally, a positive lock may be required to prevent the body from bouncing on the bottom as it moves in transit. In a mine layout, clearance below the track level often is critical and such cars cannot be used. In (3) the usual split body is split longitudinally of the car. This arrangement requires a precise configuration of dumping rails which start parallel to, but above, the tracks and then extend outwardly and upwardly at the dump section to accommodate the followers on the dump body which move in an arcuate path during dumping. Additionally, with dumping rail riders on each end of each side of an elongated car, a balanced force is exerted on the forward and rear ends of the car body during opening on the dumping rail, causing severe torsional stresses on the car and excessive wheel flange loads.

The invention provides a mine car having a shielded peripheral frame forming a chute for discharge from a clamshell type mine car body or hopper which is split laterally of the car. The car is arranged to have its two halves sequentially opened on camelback dumping rails, where the initial opening pressure is directly lateral to the pivot line of the halves, reducing the strain and torsional forces on the car halves and providing a positive opening of the car with immediate release of material from the halves. Some of the load is immediately released and the remainder is progressively released, thereby reducing stresses on the car during opening, and the car body, frame and wheels are subjected to balanced forces. Torsion forces on a mine car generally cause undue wear on the rails at the point of torsion, particularly at the point of dumping, but the invention provides balanced forces on the hopper halves, the frame and wheels during dumping, reducing wear on those parts and the rails. The load in each half of the hopper is distributed among four points, i.e., two pivots and two rests, giving uniform load distribution in transit and dumping. The car halves are pivoted in an upper inside position, providing a positive gravity closing, but the construction is such that an. open or partially open car is easily detected by visual observation of the operator of the train of cars. In addition, the car may be provided withan overhanging lip, which may be detachable, mounted on either end of the car to provide for the continuous loading of the mine cars in a train, regardless of the direction of movement of the train.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a mine car having a shielded peripheral frame arranged as a chute for discharge of material from a split body ore car.

Another object of the invention is to provide a laterally opening split body ore car which provides a positive gravity lock under loaded or unloaded conditions for holding the body halves together without a mechanical lock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a split body, bottom dump ore car in which the body is split laterally of the car, producing balanced forces on the car body, frame and wheels in opening along a camelback dumping rail system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a removable lip for either end of the car for producing, with similar cars in train, a continuous loading train from either end.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended illustrations in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a car according to the invention, illustrating an opening movement of one side thereof;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of two cars arranged for continuous loading, according to the invention;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the mine car of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the peripheral frame of a mine car;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the split body, ore carrying halves of a car according to the invention; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed view, illustrating the chute-like arrangement of the frame of the body in relation to the track for such mine cars.

As illustrated in the drawings, the mine car is comprised of three major assemblies which include a peripheral wheeled frame 10 and a pair of mirror image members forming a clamshell type body, which includes body halves 12 and 14, supported on the frame. The frame, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, is a peripheral frame including inner sloped sides 15 and 16 and ends 17 and 18. The end 17 includes an arcuate portion 19 which terminates in an upper flat portion 20, both of which cover the wheels 23, or truck, of the one end of the car. In a similar manner, arcuate portion 21 terminating in upper top portion 22 provide a cover for the wheels 24, or truck, at the opposite end of the mine car. At the right-hand end of the car wheels 23a and 23b are mounted on an axle, not shown, and the body is mounted on suspension means in accordance with conventional practices, preferably rubber springs, which are, also, conventional. At the opposite end wheels 24a and 24b are, likewise, mounted on an axle which supports a suspension system for the frame. The sides of the car frame include outer frame members 25 and 26 which are vertical members secured to the sloped inner members 16 and 15, respectively. Bottom member 16b, which is generally horizontal, is secured to the side 25 and sloping inner wall 16, forming a rigid, triangular box section frame. Similarly, member 15b connects walls 26 and 15. The box section frame is lightweight and rigid, resisting torsion and twisting forces on the frame. Further, it provides an adequate support for the uprights supporting the clamshell body halves, The inner members 15 and 16 are arranged so that the lower edge extends over the inside edge of the rails 30 and 31 to provide a chute for material being dumped from the body. For example, in FIG. 6, lower edge 16a is positioned inside the rail 31, so that a load dumped from the car will not fall on it. Centerwise of each side of the frame is a triangular piece 33 on one side and 34 on the other. These may be either integral with the side or Welded thereto, and the triangular pieces extend upwardly from the top edge of each side member. Member 33 is mounted on side 25, and member 34 is mounted on top of the opposite side wall 26. A box brace 35 extends upwardly from the bottom of the wall 25 to the top of the triangular member 33, and on the opposite side a brace member 36 braces the wall 26 and the top member 34. These braces provide rigidity for a hinge unit 38 for the car halves. The opening of the frame is, therefore, almost as wide as the track gauge between the lower edges of the sloped inner members 15 and 16. These edges are of a longitudinal length based on the length of the car between the arcuate members 19 and 21 at opposite ends of the frame. Thus, when a car is dumped, the load from the clamshell, due to the fact that the major portion of the load is directly over the opening, falls directly to a bin below the tracks and only a minor portion will strike the sloped members 15 and 16.

The end frames of the main frame are completed by end panels 40 at one end and 41 at the opposite end, with brace panels 25a on one side connecting the side 25 to the two end plates, and panels 25b on the opposite side tying the side 26 to the end panels. A box frame 40a of panels welded in place provides support for the ends of the frame body, particularly reinforcing the sections of stress due to the draw bar mounts, etc. This completes the box frame which is rigid and is quite simple to manufacture. In addition, conventional draft bars, bumpers or the like are easily built into the frame or attached as desired.

The clamshell body or hopper is shown in FIG. 5 wherein the two halves 12 and 14 are pivotally mounted at their upper, inner corners in a bearing block 45 at one side and a bearing block 46 at the opposite side. The body halves are notched inwardly at 47 and 48 on each side to accommodate an upright brace for the bearing blocks. The body halves include a bottom formed in three sections, and the right half includes an upper section 50, an intermediate section 51, and a lower section 52. The upper section 50 covers the deck portion 20 of the frame and is mounted at about a 10 angle to a horizontal plane. An angle support mounted on a rubber bearing block on both sides of each end provides a seat for each body half. A pair of angles mounted on rubber blocks 56 support the right body half and provide a bumper for the body half particularly during the loading of ore into the car. The sloped bottom 51 covers the rounded arcuate body of the frame 19, joining the upper portion 50 to a lower bottom portion 52. The bottom 52 is mounted at about a 10 angle to a horizontal plane. The other half of the hopper or body 12 includes mirror image portions 50a, 51a and 52a of the opposite half. The sides of the righthand body half include uprights 57 and a sloped area 56 which joins the bottom at one side, and an upright 58 connected to a sloped portion 59 on the opposite side. The sides are connected to the bottom portions by welding or the like. The mirror image other half of the body has similar portions including side 57a and sloped portion 56a joined to the bottom on the one side of the half and the wall 58a and sloped section 59a joined to the bottom of the other half of the body.

The bottoms of the halves are sloped so that when the car halves are pivoted upwardly to a 45 angle, the bottom portions with the least slope will be at least 55 from the horizontal plane and the intermediate section 51a will be essentially vertical. The halves may be opened further or lesser where desired or where the geometry of the bottoms of the halves dictates a steeper angle for dumping. Also, the initial loading of the car occurs at one end, and the first rocks roll down that side and their energy is expended in rolling up the other side instead of impact energy expended against the bottom. This reduces wear on the body.

Each body half is equipped with opposed rollers 60 which are arranged to contact a camelback on each side, which is a conventional means for opening bottom dump split cars. The rollers on the first half of the hopper or body traveling up the camelback pull the first half upwardly, pivoting it about the bearing block, to dump the first half of the car. When the rollers of the second half contact the camelback, it, likewise, pivots to dump the remaining load in the car. Thus, only one half of each car is dumped at a time, which reduces the strain on the engine since less than one-fourth of the load must be lifted as the rollers are pulled up the camelback. The forces on the car are balanced during transit and during dumping. Additionally, since it is a bottom dump with a center opening, part of the load is released on only slight opening, thus further reducing the requirements of the power of the engine for pulling the car into the camelback. In this manner less than a fourth of the full car load is actually lifted up the camelback. The rollers on opposed sides of each car half contact the opposed dump rails or camelback together and the opening forces are balanced on the car half as well as on the frame and wheels. The undertrack clearance is necessary as the car stays entirely above the tracks.

Each car body or hopper half has a cutoff end portion which extends above an end wall, as shown in the lefthand end of the car in FIG. 1, which provides means for the addition of a replaceable lip 64, shown in position on the right side of the car body. The lip, shown in FIG. 5, includes side members and 66, fits on the car body and may be bolted in place for easy removal. Normally, only one lip is required on a car, since the lip is to bridge the gap between coupled cars to provide means for the continuous loading of the train of such cars moving under an overhead loader. As shown in FIG. 2, one car is provided with a removable lip 71 on the cutoff portion 62a on its right-hand end, but coupled to a second car 72 does not have a lip on its left-hand end, leaving outofi end 62b adjacent the lip. In loading the cars, the train may be moved under an overhead loader and the lip prevents the load from falling down between the cars onto the coupler, frame and track. The lip, in effect, joins the cars together for loading purposes. The lip is designed so that the body half of the first car may be pivoted upwardly and miss the lip on dumping, due to some extent I to the rollers 60 which are close together so both are on the dump rails together and both car halves dump together. The lip may be transferred from one end to the other so that the train may be driven in either direction on loading. This is an important feature, since in many installations there is insufficient room to turn the train around and the cars are always used in one direction. Without the removable lip, the wear on the cars, wheels, frame, etc., is always in the same place, producing uneven wear. With the invention, the lips may be placed at the opposite end of the cars and the cars turned around to equalize the wear on the cars component parts.

The construction of the clamshell halves is such that they are easily braced, for example, along the joint Where the two halves come together, a wear plate 75 may be placed, inside each half by longitudinal bracing, or under each half. Additionally, the wheeled frame is easily braced with conventional bracing to support the load dumped on it from the clamshell.

As shown in FIG. 1, the volumetric efficiency of the car is excellent where a load 80 is carried in the car. The volumetric efiiciency is the total carrying capacity in relation to the total envelope or space occupied by the car. Even with a low silhouette, the car carries a relatively large load in relation to its size. The bottom side plates 15 and 16 of the frame, which may also be called bafiie plates, brace the upper triangular side panels of the car, giving high resistance to torsion which may be prevalent in dumping. The boxed-in brace frames, which extend into the bafile plates, also, add to the strength of the side plates. The boxed-in frame permits the use of inboard trucks, and aids in maintenance and care of the cars. Thus, maintenance is reduced due to the partially hidden wheel trucks and since there are only two pivots for the body halves which require maintenance. In addition, the car body is provided with positive seal, since the two halves are pivoted on the upper inboard corners, biasing the weight of each half toward its opposite, thereby securely holding the two together, also, forming a lockless closure. A single train operator seated on the engine can visually ascertain whether or not all the cars are completely closed, since any car body half which is not completely closed will show up above the top of the remaining cars. As with other camelback opening devices, a rattler may be placed on the camelback rails to vibrate the body halves to facilitate unloading of wet or sticky muck from the car. The geometry of the frame body is such that the forces exerted on it are practically all straight shear, with very little bending. Thus, the boxed frame provides great resistance to the shear and to bending, which produces a very simple construction of very high strength.

While the invention has been illustrated by reference to particular embodiments, there is no intent to limit the spirit or the scope of the invention to the precise details so set forth except as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. The improvement in mine cars having a hopper mounted on a wheeled frame and arranged to be coupled to similar such cars, however, leaving a space between such coupled cars of a biased cutoff edge on both ends of said hopper; a removable lip selectively attachable to either said end of said car; said lip including a protruding portion arranged to bridge the space between such coupled cars; said lip, when attached, extending outwardly from the top edge of said hopper at substantially the same height as said top edge; and means for removably attaching said lip to one end of said car.

2. The improvement in mine cars according to claim 1 wherein said lip includes a bottom which extends the bottom of said hopper providing additional carrying capacity for said hopper.

3. The improvement in mine cars according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of such mine cars are coupled together in a train and each such car including a removable lip attached to the front or rear of each car, thereby forming a train arranged for continuous loading from an overhead loader.

4. A track-operated bottom dump mine car comprising, a wheeled peripheral frame providing an opening through which carried material is dumped; said frame having side and end walls sloping into said opening at a sufiicient angle to prevent hang-up of material being dumped; said opening being between the axles of the wheels of said frame, and said end walls extending over the wheels and axles of said wheeled frame; the sloping side walls of said frame being arranged With their lower ends terminating inboard of the rails on which the car operates so as to guide dumped material into the space between the rails; said side and end walls of said frame terminating at said opening at a position below the axles of said wheeled frame; an upstanding brace generally centerwise of each said side extending upwardly from said frame and braced thereby; pivot means mounted on each said upstanding brace; a pair of mirror image hopper halves pivotally mounted adjacent their inner top corners to said pivot means forming a hopper opening laterally of said frame and arranged for tight closing and arranged to direct carried material through said opening in said frame; each of said pair of hopper halves including sloped side walls terminating at their bottom in a side portion internally of said sloped side walls of said frame; the bottom of each half including a sloped lower portion below the axles of said wheeled frame and each sloped lower portion terminating in an abutting edge for the other, an intermediate sloped portion and upper sloped portion which extends over the wheels of said wheeled frame, and the angle of each sloped portion being suflicient to be at an angle greater than about 55 from the horizontal when the half is pivoted 45; said pivot means being positioned closely adjacent to each other and closely adjacent the abutting edges of each hopper half so that initial pivotal movement of each half moves the abutting bottom edges of the hopper substantially horizontally opening said hopper with minimum lift of carried load; said pivot means mounted on opposed sides of each said hopper half for pivoting the attached half about its pivot point; and means for coupling said car to similar cars.

5. A track-operated bottom dump mine car according to claim 4 wherein said frame is a boxed-in frame including generally upright side and end walls connected to the top of said sloping side walls.

6. A track-operated bottom dump mine car according to claim 4 wherein said upright side walls are extended upwardly as a triangular brace for said upstanding brace on each side.

7. A track-operated bottom dump mine car according to claim 4 wherein said hopper halves are mirror images of each other so as to close generally centrally of said frame.

8. A track-operated bottom dump mine car according to claim 7 wherein said pivotal mounting for each said hopper half is adjacent the top edge thereof increasing the moment of each hopper half to about maximum against pivoting and thereby provide a positive lockless closure of said halves.

9. A track-operated bottom dump mine car according to claim 4 wherein each lower sloped portion of said bottom is about 10 from horizontal and the intermediate section is about 45 from horizontal.

(References on following page) 7 8 References Cited 1,825,943 10/ 1931 Evans 105-262 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,839,010 6/ 1958 Harbulak 105-1 Heathcock Jones X 225 31 182232: 5 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. 9/1910 Cronholm 298--25 H. BELTRAN, Assistant Examiner. 

